In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Honorable Religious authorities and Islamic scholars

Fellow Muslims

Distinguish Ladies and Gentlemen

May I take the opportunity to salute you with the best of salutations in the world; ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMAT’ULAH WA BARAKATU.

Muslim Brothers and Sisters

Today the Islamic ummah is passing through a significant human history, a history that is looking for God-fearing Muslims to stand up in the gap to consolidate the ummah of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S) into a single, dignified and honorable world community. The same way Allah (SWT) is expecting those who love and fear Him to stand up for His course defending and upholding the integrity of His religion al-Islam. Without any doubt, the Muslim ummah is witnessing a tremendous catastrophe of humiliation, killings, domination and exploitation in the hand of the enemies of Islam due to disunity, hatred, strife and orgy that has plagued the Muslim communities in particular and the Muslim world in general. It is therefore worthy to elucidate the very purpose for which we gather here today as well as the very purpose for which the Islamic center we are inaugurating today was established.

The Islamic Center for Harmonization of Schools of Thought was established and determines to foster unity among Muslims of different sects and schools of thought with an objective of harmonizing them in a spirit of Islamic brotherhood in order to attain and promote the Muslim ummah’s aspirations in accordance with Islamic principles and ideals. The unity of Muslims by no means entails a wider scope of understanding, tolerance and cooperation among the adherents of the different schools of thought whereby putting in place collective efforts and strategies in order to achieve the lofty goals of Islam for the progress and prosperity of the Muslim ummah and to stand united in confronting the enemies of unity, peace and brotherhood. 

Brothers and Sisters

Allah the Almighty says: "And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited......" (Qur'an 3: 103). And again the Almighty Allah warned Muslims not to be disunited and says: "......and dispute not one with another lest ye falter and your strength departs from you....." (Qur'an 8: 46). As a matter of fact, the center’s noble objective in creating a common ground for the unity of Muslims especially in The Gambia is a response to the call of unity among Muslims on one hand and with Christians on the other by His Excellency, the President Dr. Alhaji Yayah A.J.J. Jammeh which was advocated strongly by Supreme Islamic Council. But how can this unity be realized and enhance if there remains disunity and divisions among fellow Muslims due to the adherence of different cultural and ideological background perpetuated by the different sects and schools of thought. It is necessary for us as Muslims to come into cognizance of the merits embedded in unity notwithstanding the existing impeding factors of sectarianism that has characterized our beliefs and thought in Islam. It is necessary to understand that UNITY is one of the key factors for the success and development of nations. History has proven that when Muslims were united, they were able to achieve their religious and civilization goals. The revival of the leading role of Muslim Ummah depends, to a great extent, on their ability to unite all their vast resources: economic, political, intellectual and religious. It is therefore, incumbent upon the Muslim academics, professionals and politicians to strengthen the UNITY among Muslims. Towards this end, the Islamic Center for Harmonization is a non-partisan institution which aims at fostering and enhancing the UNITY of the Muslim Ummah through a variety of activities such as researches, studies, workshops, forums, radio and television talks, conferences, publications, dialogues, etc.

Brothers and Sisters

The necessity and significance of Muslim unity is a reality to reckon with as it becomes a strategic and logical instrument for the defense of Muslims’ and Islamic integrity. There has never been a time when Muslims were not looked down upon, treated with disrespect and oppression as they are today. Everywhere Muslims are bullied, detained bombed and massacred with impunity. Muslim countries are unable to do anything to defend themselves and their people anywhere.  Some Muslim countries actually appear to be collaborators with the oppressors of Muslims. There has never been a time when Muslims were treated with disrespect and oppressed as they are today. Our enemies will always attack us because we are weak.   They will only cease to do so if we maintain a strong enough defense capability by unifying our ranks. This is the Sunnah of the Prophet (S). We all know that the Prophet (S) brought only one Islam.  But this Islam has divided into many sects and schools of thought and each divided into numerous groups by different imams and “tarikhas”. Did Allah wanted us to have all these divisions?  But we know that during the 23 years teachings of Islam, the Prophet did not speak about any school of thought, sect or tarikha.  All these divisiveness in Islam came only after he had passed away. These differences came as a result of different interpretations about Islam. Some of which led some schools of thought to accuse each other of not being Muslims.

Fellow Muslims

Indeed they regard many who profess to be Muslims  as infidels. Thus one sect of Muslims regards the other as infidels and vice versa. In our contemporary age some sects have convinced their followers that anyone not joining or supporting them is not  a  Muslim. Tens of thousand Muslims believe  this, believe even that killing those who are outside their sect in the name of Islam will guarantee a place for them in heaven. There is now a deep split among Muslims caused by some Muslim scholars who are constantly abusing the teachings of Islam.

Because of huge different interpretations and many different sects, each claim to be the true follower of Islam, Muslims  are thoroughly confused. The result of this confusion has ushered in a deeply divided ummah, prone to disputes and to fighting each other. They   are  less  interested  in  defending  themselves against the outstanding enemies of Islam instead they concentrate pouncing on other Muslims without recognizing that these  conflicts  among Muslims will only weaken the Muslim ummah.
Due to this unfortunate circumstance, disunity, obscurity about Islam,  fighting  each other  for  power, lacking in essential  knowledge  and skills, misapplying their God-given wealth, Muslims  of  today  have  reached  the  lowest  point  in  their development. Yet still they  are  not willing and prepared to see the reality of this ugly situation or to admit  that  they have deviated from the  teachings of Islam instead they  continue to reject  the  brotherhood  of Muslims with strong determination based on self-delusion.
 
Brothers and Sisters

We should really return  to the original teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophet and among the most fundamental teachings of Islam which, is peace.  We greet each other with the wish for peace.  Is it just an empty word that we do not mean?  If we want peace, shouldn't we strive for it, at  least  among ourselves  as Muslims first, and then with people of other faiths? The Quran states that all Muslims are  brothers and they must not fight each other but love each other as they are the same family. That  is  one of the basic teachings  of  Islam. There can be no dispute about this injunction of Islam and no difference in the interpretation of this teaching. But  some Muslims  do try to negate  even this clear teaching of  Islam. In order to fight division and to encourage unity and brotherhood among Muslims irrespective of their schools of thought being Sunni or Shi’ah as the biggest schools, the center has created a website to give vital information on the need of Islamic unity and brotherhood. Today, the most significant concern of  Islam, the religion of Allah the Almighty and His Noble Messenger (S) and of course Muslims living in the world is accessing Islamic solutions and strategies to unify the ummah of Islam as well as defending it against harmful ideas and seditious thought emanating from pseudo-intellectuals’ thought and deceitful propaganda from the enemies of Islam. In this way, the Islamic Center for Harmonization of Schools of Thought (ICFH) was established and began its activities with an embracing manner of all schools of thought and sects in Islam with an objective of providing a conducive atmosphere for interaction, dialogue, tolerance and understanding among the different schools of thought and their adherents with  spiritual and intellectual needs and approach that will facilitate the capacity building of harmony, unity and understanding among Muslims.

 Brothers and Sisters

 This site, indeed, intends to welcome such resources by means of communicational tools such as symposium, dialogue forum, conferences as well as intellectual and scientific research within the framework of the center’s goal and available valuable potentials. It is therefore worth mentioning that ICFH is an independent non-profitable institution that wishes to go on its way through the spiritual support of Muslims, Islamic scholars, Imams and Islamic researchers and intellectuals,  people of faith and knowledge in order to bring about a systematic change in the Islamic ummah. I must re-echo once more that all Muslims witness that today the Muslim ummah of the Holy Prophet (S) is passing through a significant period of human history. A period, wherein Allah and His Messenger (S) are looking for believers to rise up and fill the gap of struggle against infidelity, extremism, domination, exploitation and arrogance being the plagues that have hooked the Muslim ummah for decades in our contemporary world.  Therefore,  ICFH is calling all Muslims to consider the words of Allah the Almighty when warning Muslims against disunity. He says: “And hold fast all of you together the rope of Allah and do not be disunited………” Qur’an 3: 103. 

If today, Muslims do not join hands together in unity and brotherhood and do neglect in extending help and defend one another, then the influences of the enemies will forever remain and the most devastating disease of hatred and disunity will continue to plague the Islamic ummah.  It is of no doubt that Sunni and Shi’ah schools are well aware that the enemies have for so long investing a great deal to create friction and division among them. They must know that in order to subdue the Islamic and national interest of Muslims, the enemies will leave no stone unturned. If all Muslims become aware and alert and unite, they can neutralize the propaganda operations and strategies of the enemies. Muslims should know and be more aware that they can exalt Islam and their status if only they maintain unity and brotherhood firmer than ever before and eventually will be able to squeeze the exploiters and domineers out of the Muslim countries.

Fellow Muslims

 In conclusion, today, Islam is in dire need of Islamic unity and brotherhood as it was established by the Holy Prophet (S) in order to defend the integrity and honor of Muslims. Verily, if those objectives and purpose of Islam are to be fully recognized, Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims would come to an acceptable unity based on related decrees and by such harmony Muslims all over the world will be masters of their own affairs. On a final note, whether Sunni or Shi’ah, all Muslims should know that the Muslim ummah is undergoing a great range of difficulties, although the dimension of the difficulties is so wide and painful but is a proof and criterion for the last time to distinguish the line of pioneers and standard bearers of Islamic unity and the emancipation of the Muslim ummah’s dignity and the grandeur of Allah’s religion from those false claimants who say they are supporters of Islam.

Last but not the least, I would like before concluding to call every body’s attention to this verse from the Holy Qur’an that always gives us hope and relief when ever we are stressed from the situation of the Muslim ummah today. Allah says: “The unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend; but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome: And the unbelievers will be gathered together to Hell”. (Qur’an 8:36).

 May Allah the Almighty grant the Islamic ummah of His Noble Prophet (S) victory, unity and prosperity. WA SALAAM

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